2025 ICD-10-CM code B17.9
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Infectious and parasitic diseases - Viral hepatitis Certain infectious and parasitic diseases Feed
Acute viral hepatitis, unspecified.This code is used when the specific type of viral hepatitis is not documented.
Medical necessity is established by the clinical presentation and laboratory findings indicative of acute viral hepatitis. Further testing to identify the specific virus may be medically necessary for optimal treatment and management.
Diagnosis of acute viral hepatitis is based on patient symptoms, history, physical examination, and laboratory testing for viral antibodies and/or specific hepatitis viruses. Treatment focuses on supportive care including adequate nutrition and hydration, sometimes requiring intravenous fluids.
In simple words: This code indicates an acute inflammation of the liver caused by a hepatitis virus. The exact type of hepatitis is unknown.Symptoms may vary from none at all to severe illness.
Acute viral hepatitis is an inflammatory condition of the liver caused by a viral infection.The specific virus causing the infection is not specified.Symptoms may include fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, jaundice, and loss of appetite.Severe cases can lead to acute liver failure.
Example 1: A patient presents with fever, jaundice, and abdominal pain. Blood tests reveal elevated liver enzymes and the presence of hepatitis antibodies, but further testing to identify the specific virus is not performed. B17.9 is used., An infant presents with unexplained jaundice.Initial workup suggests viral hepatitis, but specific testing is not conclusive. The physician documents "acute viral hepatitis, unspecified," and B17.9 is assigned., A patient with a history of intravenous drug use experiences fatigue, nausea, and dark urine. Clinical findings and laboratory results are suggestive of viral hepatitis, but no specific virus can be identified through testing at this time.B17.9 would be applied.
Documentation should include signs, symptoms, laboratory results (liver function tests, hepatitis serologies), and any diagnostic procedures performed.If a specific hepatitis virus is subsequently identified, the code should be updated accordingly.
** It is important to distinguish acute viral hepatitis from chronic viral hepatitis.This code should only be used when the condition is documented as acute and the type of virus is unspecified.
- Payment Status: Active
- Specialties:Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Disease, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Office, Emergency Room - Hospital